Hopper-car doorlock



March" 17, 1931. B, w. KADE L HOPPER CAR DOORLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 16, 1935 March 17, 1931. B. w. KADEL HOPPER CAR DOORLOCK Original Filed April 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 PATENT (EFFICE BYERS W. KADEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND HOPPER-CAR DOORLOC'K Application filed April 16, 1925, Serial No. 23,725. Renewed July 20, 1929.

My invention relates to the construction of railway cars and particularly to the mechanism by which swinging doors permitting the discharge of lading from the car are maintained in closed position.

An object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide an improved door looking or holding mechanism constructed in a novel manner to facilitate closing of the door by means of a pry bar or the like, the arrangement being such that the pry bar may be used in relatively upright position.

Another object of the invention is to provide door securing means embodying structural elements of such character that they may be used on standard hopper cars to replace certain ordinary types of locking mechanism which are well known, the device being capable of manufacture as a complete and separate entity adapted to be riveted onto a standard hopper car and door therefor without necessitating any change in the arrangement and location of the rivet holes which may be already present.

A further object of the invention, Vmore specifically stated, is to provide a hopper door securing means including a fixed keeper adapted to be mounted upon the side of the hopper and having a plurality of retaining ledges which may he successively engaged by a retaining latch pivotally mounted on the door, the latch and the keeper both being provided with means for engagement by a pry bar for exerting the necessary leverage to move the door from partly to fully closed position. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide hopper door securing means of this character in which the pivoted latch and the locking cam therefor are carried by a supporting bracket structure adapted to be riveted onto the transversely extending door stiffener, this bracket structure embracingly engaging the stiffener and acting to strengthen the same.

lVith the above specified objects and advantages in view, together with others which may become apparent during the course of the following description, the invention may consist in the structural details and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: i v

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a hopper car equipped with my door securing mechanism, the door being shown in fully closed position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation looking directly at the door and at a slight upward angle.

Figure 3 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 1 showing the door in partly closed position and illustrating the application and use of the pry bar for forcing it into fully closed position.

Figure-1 is a section taken on substantially the line ea of Figure 1. I

While the drawings illustrate a single hopper and the adjacent edge of its co-acting door it is to be understood that the construction is preferably duplicated on the opposite side of the car and that the door illustrated is but one of a pair of doors connected by a spreader or stiffener member so as to swing as one.

Referring to the drawings, wherein corresponding parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the several views, I have shown a portion of a car having a standard type of hopper 1, only an end sheet hereof being illustrated, and the door 2 by which the lading discharge opening of the hopper is closed. As is well known, the doors of cars of this type are hinged to the car body so as. to swing to open position under the influence of gravity just above the door opening through which the lading is discharged, such discharge opening being in an inclined plane substantially normal to the sloping botto1n3 of the hopper. The edges of the hopper sheets defining the outlet opening may be flanged outwardly, as

indicated at 4-, to provide a suitable seat against which the door may close. The door itself may be provided with the usual marginal flange 5 acting to brace and stitfen the same, and also cooperating with the flanges 4 to center the door as it is bein closed.

Mounted upon the outside of the door 2 iii) and secured thereto as for instance by rivets 6 is a spreader or stiffening member 7 preferably and here shown as of channel shape with its open or channel side disposed toward and against the door. The channel as shown has its sides or legs 8 formed with outstanding foot portions or flanges 9 which bear flat against the door and through which the above mentioned rivets or other securing means pass.

Mounted upon the stiflener 7 is moral 10, which bracket may, conveniently, include a pair of members 11 and 12 formed preferably as castings. The member 11 includes an elongated body portion 13 upon the upper side of one end of which is formed a laterally extending arm portion 1a, and upon the underside or lower edge of the other end of which is formed a similar arm portion 15, these two arm portions embracingly engaging the stiffener 7 and bearing respectively in conforming engagement upon the sides 8 of the stiffener. The arms may be secured to the stifiener, in any desired manner as for instance by means of rivets 16 and 17 passing through the arms 14 and 15, respectively, and through the sides 8 of the stifiener. EX- tending from the upper edge of the body 13 of the bracket member 11 is an upstanding projection 18. In order to insure proper strength of the bracket 11, the body 13, arms 14 and and extension 18 thereof are pr ferably formed with marginal ribs or thickened portions 19.

The member 12 of the bracket structure, indicated generally at 10, is of substantially L-shape and includes a base portion 20 lying upon the upper side or leg 8 of the stiffener and secured thereto as for instance by means of a rivet 21. This member 12 further includes an upstanding or projecting portion 22 located in spaced relation to the upstanding projection 18 of the bracket member 11. This member 12 is likewise preferably formed with a marginal reinforcing rib 23.

Located between the stiffener and the body member 13, which is of course spaced from the outer face or web of the stiffener 7, is a latch 24 pivotally mounted, as indicated at 25, for engagement with a keeper or retaining means to be described. This latch pro jects somewhat beyond the side edge of the door 2 and the outer end of the projecting portion is preferably bent or ofiset to form a hook portion, as indicated at 26.

Cooperating with the latch 2% for holding it in association with the retainer to be described, is a locking cam 27 located between the. upstanding portions or projections 18 and 22 of the bracket structure and pivoted thereto, as indicated at 29. This cam may have a laterally extending knob or projection 30 serving as a handle whereby it may a bracket structure designated generally by the nu-' be swung into or out of engagement with the latch.

Suitably secured upon the end sheet of the hopper is a fixed keeper or retainer designated generally at 31, which retainer is shown as of elongated formation and having an attaching portion 32 lying flat against the end sheet and riveted or otherwise secured there to by rivets 33. The intermediate portion of this retainer or keeper is outwardly offset, as indicated at 3 so that the free end portion 35 will pass around the flanged portion 4: of the side sheet of the hopper. For reinforcing purposes the keeper or retainer may have a peripheral rib 36. The free end portion 35 is formed with ledges 37 and 38 with which the pivoted latch 2 cooperates, the former ledge 37 being for the purpose of holding the ooor in partly closed position and the latter ledge being for the purpose of maintaining it in fully closed position. The ledges 37 and 38 are connected by an intermediate portion which is preferably normal to the ledges and to the plane of the closed door so that as the door is moved from partially closed to fully closed position the latch will not execute an unlocking rotation.

Upon referring to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be seen that when the door is supported in fully closed position the bent or offset end 26 of the latch is spaced from the outer face of the hook in overlapping relation thereto. Remembering that the construction shown is duplicated on opposite sides of the car and that the spreader or stiffener 7, which connects the doors, is therefore provided at each end with a pivoted latch, the offset ends of the two associated latches, by overlapping the outer faces of their respective hooks or retainers, effectually prevents undue bulging of the sides of the hoppers.

After the door has been opened to permit the discharge of the lading in the car, and it is desired to reclose the door, it is first neces sary to swing it, by any means, int-o such position that the free end portion of the latch 2% will ride up the inclined end portion 39 of the fixed keeper or retainer and engage upon the ledge 37. Itis often very difficult to effect complete closure of these hopper doors as they readily become warped and distorted'due to the severe service conditions to which they are subjected. For this reason it is desirable to employ some mechanical advantage, such as a pr y bar, to completely close the doors. A feature of the present invention therefore, resides in the provision of a lug 10 formed upon the outer face of the fixed keeper which serves as a fulcrum for a pry bar r lever 41-which, of course, may be one of the tools comprising a part of the train equipment. The pry bar, when in operative association with he fulcrum lug, projects upwardly therefrom in a substantially upright position into engagement with the out-.

wardly projecting portion of the latch between the offset end 26 thereof and the outer face of the hook as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. Thus it will be appreciated that the offset end of the latch, in addition to preventing bulging of the hopper sides, serves to prevent the pry bar from accidentally slipping oil of and out of engagement with the latch. While it is intended that the operator grasp the upper end of the pry bar to force the door to fully closed position, the bar may be caused to operate with practically the same efficiency should force be applied to the lower or depending end thereof. 1

By positioning the fulcrum lug so that it is disposed slightly in advance of the preliminary ledge 2370f the hook, the pressure transmitted to the latch from the pry bar always tends to rotate the latch in a direction to en age the final ledge 38 of the hook. In other words the force from the pry bar, will after the latch has been forced to a position such that it can engage the ledge 38, propel the latch downwardly into its iinal support ing position. This feature of the invention is particularly advantageous as not only does thepry bar force the door into a position such that the latch may engage with the final ledge 38 but it also positively forces the latch downwardly into locked position thereby making it unnecessary for the operator to employ some separate means, such as a hammer or the like, to drive the latch down. This arrangement whereby the pry bar bears against the latch is also advantageous in that all slack in the mechanism, as that between the latch and spreader, is automatically taken up in the right direction. I

In a hopper car door construction formed in accordance with this invention, it will be apparent that several advantages are ob tained, notably the improved fulcrum means for the pry bar which will greatly facilitate closing of the door. Another advantage is that the bracket structure f-orsupporting the pivoted latch and locking cam consists of only two parts which may be formed as cast ings and which are readily capable of being secured in place upon the stiffener. This bracket structure may be considered as reinforcing the stiffener at the ends thereof, it

being known that these are the points at which the greatest strain occurs. The entire structure is readily applicable to existing cars and in fact may be secured in place by means of rivets passing through holes provided for the application of other types of latches so that alteration of existing structure will be unnecessary.

Vhile I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts, as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stifiener extending transversely of the door, a bracket structure mounted on the stiffener, a pivoted latch mounted on the bracket structure outwardly of the stifiener for swinging movement in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the door, and a fixed retaining member mounted on the side of the car for cooperation with said latch, said retaining member having ledges successively engageable by the latch w iereby the door may be held in partly of fully closed position.

2. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly .mounted door, a stifiener extending transversely of the door, a bracket structure mounted on the stifiener, a pivoted latch mounted on the bracket structure outwardly of the stiffener, a fixed retaining member mounted on the side of the car for cooperation with said latch, said retaining member having ledges successively engageable. by the latch whereby the door may be held in partly or fully closed position, and means on said retaining member engageable by a pry bar disposable against the latch whereby the door may be moved from partly to fully closed position.

3. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stiffener extending transversely of the door, a bracket structure mounted on the stiffener, a pivoted latch mounted on the bracket structure outwardly of the stiffener, a fixed retaining member mounted on the side of the car for cooperation with said latch, said retaining member having ledges successively engageable by the latch whereby the door may be held in partly or fully closed position, and a lug projecting outwardly from the outer side of the retaining member serving as a fulcrum for engage ment by a pry bar disposable against the latch whereby the door may be moved from partly to fully closed position.

4. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stifiener of channel formation extending transversely of the door and secured to the outer side thereof, a bracket structure having arms spaced transversely of the door arranged in embracing relation to and secured upon the stifiener, a latch pivotally mounted on the bracket structure and projecting beyond the side edge of the door, and a fixed retainer secured upon the side of the car and formed for engagement by the latch.

5. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a channeled stiffener secured transversely thereof to its outer face, a bracket structure including an elongated body portion extending longitudinally of and in spaced relation to the stifiener, the bracket structure further including arms disposed against and secured to the opposite sides of the channel, a latch pivotally mounted on the bracket structure and stiffener and lying within said space, the bracket extending from the pivotal point of the latch to substantially the side edge of the door, one end of the latch projecting beyond the said edge of the door, and a retainer secured upon the side of the car and having a ledge engageable by the latch.

6. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a channeled stiffener secured transversely thereof to its outer face, a bracket structure including an elongated body portion extending longitudinally of and in spaced relation to the stiffener, the bracket structure further including arms disposed against and secured to the opposite sides of the channel, a latch pivotally mounted on the bracket structure and stiitener and lying within said space, one end of the latch projecting beyond the side edge of the door, and a retainer secured upon the side of the car and having a ledge engageable by the late the bracket structure including upward extensions, and a locking cam pivoted between the extensions and cooperating with the latch for holding the same in engagement with the retainer.

7. In a railway car, a hinged door, a stiffener of channeled formation extending transversely of the outer face of the door and secured thereto with its open side toward the door, a bracket structure including an elongated body member extending longitudinally of the outer face of the stiffener in spaced relation thereto, the body member being provided at its opposite ends with arm portions engaged respectively upon the top and bottom of the stil'iener and secured thereto, said body member having an upstanding projection, the bracket structure further including an angular member secured to the top of the stiffener and spaced from the upstanding projection, a latch located within said space and pivoted to said body member and the stiiliener, the latch projecting beyond the side edge of the door, a ledged retainer mounted on the side of the car and cooperating with the latch, and cam pivoted between the angular member and said upstanding projection cooperating with the latch for holning it in engagement with the retainer.

8. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a latch arranged transversely of the door and pivotally mounted thereon with its free end projecting beyond the side edge of the door, a keeper secured on the side of the car and having an inclined end, said keeper being formed with ledges successively engageable by the latch during movement or" the door from open to partly and from partly to fully closed position, the keeper being formed with a fulcrum lug on its outer face adapted for engagement by a pry bar disposable against the latch whereby the door may be moved from partly to fully closed position.

9. In a car door mechanism, the-combination with a hinged door adapted to open under the influence of gravity, of a bracket rigidly mounted on the door, a latch pivotally mounted on the bracket and projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the door, a rotatable cam adapted to engage the latch to retain the latter in door-locking position, and a shouldered member secured to the car body and projecting beyond the plane of the door for cooperating with the latch to prevent opening movement of the door, said latch and shouldered member being adapted to have locking engagement with each other in a plurality of positions, respectively, corresponding to closed and partially closed positions of the door, and said latch and shouldered memher having portions adapted to be simultaneously engaged by a removable lever for actuating the door.

10. In a car door mechanism, the combination of a hinged door adapted to open under the influence of gravity, of a bracket rigidly mounted on the door, a latch pivotally mounted on the bracket and projecting beyond the ad acent edge of the door, said latch being provided adjacent its free end with a seat for cooperating with a removable dooroperating lever, movable means for engaging the latch to retain the latter in door-locking position, and a member rigidly secured to the car body for cooperating with the latch in a plurality of positions to prevent opening movement of the door, said member being provided with a portion forming afulcrum for a door-operating lever.

11. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of a latch member pivotally mounted on the door and movable in a plane substantially parallel therewith, a hook member rigidly secured to the car body, said members being adapted to support the door in closed position, said hook member having a lateral projection constituting a rigid and immovable fulcrum adapted to be engaged by a removable lever, said lever being adapted to bear against the latch and being operable in a plane normal to the plane of movement of the latter for forcing the door to closed position, said fulcrum being arranged so that the force transmitted from the lever to the latch during closing movement of the door causes the latch to rotate in a locking direction.

12. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of a latch pivotally mounted on the door, and a hook rigidly secured to the car body, said y hook being provided with a preliminary and a final ledge respectively cooperable with the latch to maintain the door in partially closed and in fully closed position, said hook being also provided with an outwardly projecting lug cooperable with a removable lever adapted to engage the latch to force it from engagement with the preliminary ledge of the hook to engagement with the final ledge thereof.

13. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of a hook member rigidly secured to the car body, and a latch member pivotally mounted on the door and projecting beyond a side edge thereof for cooperation with said hook member, one of said members being provided with a plurality of portions respectively engageable with the other of said members to support the door in partially closed and in fully closed position, said hook member being provided on its outer face with an outstanding lug constituting a fulcrum adapted to cooperate with a removable lever, said lever being adapted to bear against the outwardly projecting portion of the latch and to be operated in a substantially upright position where-by the door may be forced from partially closed to fully closed posit-ion 14. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, a hook member rigidly secured to the car body having a ledge, and a latch member pivotally mounted on the door and cooperable with the ledge of the hook to support the door in closed position, said hook member being pro vided with an outwardly projecting extension constituting a fulcrum for a removable lever engageable with the latch to move the door to closed position and to rotate the latch downwardly into engagement with the ledge of the hook.

15. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a hinged door movable to open po sition under the influence of gravity, of a latch pivotally mounted on the door, a hook rigidly secured to the car body, said hook having a plurality of ledges respectively engageable with the latch to support the door in partially closed and in fully closed position, said ledges being arranged so that the door may be moved from partially to fully closed position without unlocking rotation of the latch, and means carried by the hook constituting a fulcrum for a removable lever adapted to bear against the latch to force the door from partially closed to fully closed position.

16. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stiffener secured to the door involving a beam having aplurality of portions, one of said portions being substantially normal to the door and the other being substantially parallel therewith and spaced outwardly therefrom, a bracket member associated with said stiffener in spaced relation to the said parallel portion thereof, said member being provided with an extension projecting toward the hinge axisof the door, and mechanism for supporting the door in closed position involving a hook secured to the hopper, a latch pivotally interposed be tween the stiffener and bracket member, and a. locking cam pivotally connected to the extension of said bracket member.

, In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stiffener secured to the door involving a beam having a plurality of portions, one of said portions being substantially normal to the door and the other being sub stantially parallel therewith and spaced outwardly therefrom, a bracket member having a body portion extending longitudinally of and in spaced relation to the said parallel portion of the stiffener, said bracket being provided with a plurality of angularly disposed arms, one of said arms being secured to the said normal portion of the stiffener and he other projecting upwardly toward the iinge axis of'the door, and mechanism for supporting the door in closed position involving a hook secured to the hopper, a. latch pivotally interposed; between the stiffener and bracket member and a cam pivotally connected to the upwardly projecting arm of the bracket.

18. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stiffener secured to the door involving a beam having a plurality of portions, one of said portions being substantially normal to the door and the other being substantially parallel therewith and spaced outwardly therefrom, a bracket structure involving a plurality of members, each of which is secured to the said normal portion of the stiffener, one of said members having a portion disposed substantially in the plane of the said parallel portion of the stifiener and the other of said members having a portion spaced from and overlapping the said parallel portion of the stifiener and the said portion of the other bracket member, and mechanism for supporting the door in closed position involving a hook rigidly secured to the hopper, a latch pivotally interposed between one of said bracket members and the stiffener, and a locking cam pivotally interposed between the said bracket members.

19. Ina railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stiffener secured to the door involving a beam having a plurality of portions, one of said portions being substantially normal to the door and the other being substantially parallel therewith and spaced outwardly therefrom, a bracket structure including an elongated body portion extending longitudinally of and in spaced relation to the said parallel portion of the stifi'ener, said bracket structure further including extensions projecting toward the hinge axis of the door, and mechanism for supporting the door in closed position involving a hook rigidly secured to the hopper, a latch pivotally interposed between the body portion of said bracket structure and said parallel portion of the stifiener, and a cam pivotally interposed between the said extensions of the bracket structure.

20. In a railway hopper car, a hingedly mounted door, a stifiener secured to the door involving a beam having a plurality of portions, one of said portions being substantially normal to the door and the other being substantially parallel therewith and spaced outwardly therefrom, a bracket structure involving a plurality of members associated with said stiffener one of said brackets having a portion spaced from said parallel portion of the stiffener and also having an upwardly projecting extension, the other of said members being of angle shape and having a portion spaced inwardly from the er:- tensions of the other of said members and mechanism for supporting the door in closed position involving a hook rigidly secured to the hopper, a latch pivotally connected to the said parallel portion of the stiffener and the portion of that bracket having a portion spaced therefrom, and a cam pivotally connected'to the said extension of the last-named bracket and to the said inwardly spaced portion of the other bracket.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

BYERS W. KADEL. 

